Junior outfielder Blake Dean and junior second baseman Ryan Schimpf was named to the Rivals.com first team and to the Baseball America second team. Sophomore shortstop DJ LeMahieu and junior outfielder Jared Mitchell were voted to the Baseball America third team.

Dean, a native of Crestview, Fla., hit a team-best .353 (95-for-269) last season with 18 doubles, three triples, 20 homers and 73 RBI, earning first-team All-America recognition while leading LSU to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. He hit .500 (7-for-14) in LSU’s NCAA Super Regional series versus UC Irvine with two doubles, one homer and four RBI. Dean tied the LSU school record with five hits in Game 3 win of the super regional, collecting two doubles, a three-run homer, two singles and three RBI.

Dean was named the Most Outstanding Player of NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, leading LSU to the regional title with wins over Texas Southern and Southern Miss (twice). Dean batted .455 (5-for-11) in the regional with one double, one triple, three homers and nine RBI.

Dean was also voted the Most Valuable Player of the SEC Tournament, batting .438 (7-for-16) in four games with three homers, nine RBI and five runs. He unloaded a walk-off solo homer to lift LSU over South Carolina in the tournament opener, and he launched grand slam in a semifinal win over Alabama.

Schimpf, a Covington, La. native, batted .320 (80-for-250) last season with 18 doubles, an SEC-best seven triples, 12 homers and 54 RBI. He batted a sizzling .419 (18-for-43) in LSU’s 13 postseason games with seven doubles, two triples, two homers, 15 RBI and 11 runs.

Schimpf was LSU’s leading hitter in the NCAA Super Regional versus UC Irvine, batting .615 (8-for-13) with four doubles, one triple, two homers, six RBI and three runs. He was 4-for-5 with two homers, two doubles and a career-best five RBI in the Super Regional championship game.

Schimpf was named to NCAA Baton Rouge Regional all-tournament team, and he was voted to the SEC All-Tournament Team. He was also named SEC Player of the Week May 12, as he batted.545 (6-for-11) in the Mississippi State series with one double, three homers, seven RBI and seven runs scored.

LeMahieu, a product of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., started 67 games at shortstop in 2008, batting .337 (87-for-258) with 11 doubles, one triple, six homers, 44 RBI and 10 steals. He hit .336 (39-for-116) in SEC regular-season games with four doubles, two homers and 15 RBI.

LeMahieu batted .347 (17-for-49) in the Tigers’ postseason games with three doubles, one triple, one homer and six RBI. He enters the 2009 season riding a 16-game hit streak that began on May 15 at Auburn.

Mitchell batted .297 (52-for-175) last season with 10 doubles, one triple, six homers, 29 RBI, 44 runs and 16 stolen bases. He batted .365 (19-for-52) in SEC regular-season games with five doubles, four homers, 13 RBI, 16 runs and four steals.

Mitchell, a product of New Iberia, La., helped lead the Tigers to the College World Series by hitting .429 (6-for-14) with a homer and three RBI in the NCAA Super Regional versus UC Irvine.